Chapter 196: D-Rank Mission
"We will meet at the gate we came through at 6:30," Adam stated, his voice a low, commanding rumble that seemed to absorb the sounds of the forest.
"I will make this clear now. Neither team is to assist the other. Do not approach each other for any reason." He paused, letting his gaze drift into the shadowed depths between the trees.
"I have a feeling this forest plays games with the mind. There are traps here, things that hunt not just your body, but your thoughts."
Robin gave a single, almost imperceptible nod. He had felt it too, a subtle pressure against his consciousness, a whispering at the edge of his hearing that was not the wind.
Adam turned away from Void and Robin. His focus shifted to the remaining pair. "Kado," he said, his eyes locking onto the stern-faced boy, "you are this team’s attack force. You are the tip of the spear."
Then he looked at Ryan, whose face was a mixture of fear and determination. "And you, Ryan, will be the rear guard. Your job is research and analysis. Watch everything. Understand everything. Keep your team safe from what Kado doesn’t see."
With a smooth motion, Adam produced the last eight mission slips from his jacket. They were all F-rank, just like the others. He handed them to Kado. "I’m trusting you with these eight missions. They are mostly hunting assignments for low-level insects. The most dangerous target on this list is a Red Rabbit."
Kado took the slips without hesitation. His calloused fingers brushed against Adam’s as he accepted the responsibility. He scanned the parchment, his lips twitching into the barest hint of a smile. "Interesting missions," he murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. The simplicity of the targets was almost an insult, but the context—the bet, the forest, the stakes—made it a true challenge.
Ryan stepped forward, his posture straighter than it had been all day. "Eric," he said, still using the name he knew, "I will give one hundred percent to fulfill this responsibility."
Adam then addressed both newly formed teams. In his hand, he held two smooth, crimson stones that seemed to pulse with a faint, internal warmth. They were identical to the one he had received at the mission counter, yet there were clearly two of them. He had not gone back for another. He offered one to Void and the other to Kado. "These will help you for Mission Collection. Keep them on you at all times."